www.clanpringle.com October 2009 The Pringles of East Teviotdale, 1425 – 1675. by James Bruce Pringle (brother of Sir Murray Pringle of Stichill, 10th Bt). Introduction The Hoppringills originated from a place of the same name, five miles north of Stow (A7 between Galashiels and Edinburgh, Scotland). They held lands between the Gala and Leader waters and were longtime supporters of the Earls of Douglas. Members of the family were squires to each of the nine succesive earls for the hundred years or so until the downfall of the last earl in 1455. In the mid-15th century the estates of Pringle of that Ilk comprised Hoppringill, Glengelt, Kirktonhill and Muirhouse. The oldest cadets, the Hoppringill’s of Smailholm, who contested the right to bear the name Hoppringill of that Ilk and subsequently the more influential, had the lands of Pilmuir and Blackchester (off Leader Water but nearer the town of Lauder) and the west half of the barony of Smailholm with other lands around Muirhouse. At this time, the fortunes of the Pringles suffered two severe blows. First, Pringle of that Ilk died without leaving a son and heir. His heiress, Mariotte, took Glengelt, Kirktonhill and Muirhouse with her. Glengelt was given to Lord Borthwick in 1458 by the King, Mariotte’s superior, as a casualty of marriage due from an unmarried heir of marriageable age or from a minor heir once he/she attained marriageable age. Kirktonhill passed to Mariotte's son, William Mowbray. Hoppringill was occupied by her mother until two/thirds was reclaimed in 1480 by Adam de Burnhouse, now Pringle of that Ilk. The remaining third was held by Lady Hoppringill as her terce until she died and then it passed to Adam. Secondly, George Hoppringill, Douglas squire since 1425 was appointed Master Ranger of the Tweed Ward of Ettrick Forest in 1456; but lost that position in 1461 for continuing to support the disgraced earl. He was replaced by Robert Hoppringill of Wrangholm and Smailholm. [Alex. Pringle in ‘The Records of the Pringles or Hoppringills of the Scottish Border’ published in 1933, strongly rejected, on pages 29 to 31, the then prevailing and still current error that the Hoppringills were in some way descended from the Pyngle’s of Whitsome (e.g. Roger Pyngle of Whitsome and Adam Pyngle of Aberdeen) as absurd. I have tried to correct this ongoing error with my namesake on his Clan Pringle website but with little success to date. The Hoppringills were all descended from the place or stead named Hoppringill] David Hoppringill of Pilmuir and later of Smailholm and Galashiels was Ranger of the Tweed Ward. David formed an alliance with Ker of Cessford who was 1 www.clanpringle.com October 2009 appointed bailie of Jedburgh Forest by the Earl of Angus. The Pringle/Ker alliance continued throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. This leads us to East Teviotdale; east of the line drawn from Kelso to Jedburgh and from there to the Scottish/English border. In particular, to Cessford (1467) and Clifton (1509). Cessford Castle The ruin of this castle, which in 1523 the English esteemed the third strongest place in Scotland, (letters and papers, Henry VIII), stands on high ground overlooking the valley of Kale Water about 6 miles NE. of Jedburgh. A charter to Walter St Clair of the barony of Cessford in 1375-6 (Reg Magni Sig Reg Scot 1306-1424), makes no mention of a tower on the property, and a sasine of 1441 in favour of Christian Sinclair, spouse of the deceased Sir William of Cokburne, of her lands whatsoever of Cesfurde, specifically mentions that it is “done in the town of Cesfurde in a building of the same” (W Fraser). The above entry suggests that the existing tower had not yet been built. Further, according to the Old Statistical Account of Scotland, Andrew Ker of Atonburn was granted a charter to Cessford in 1446. The second of that name, he was the first to be styled “of Cessford”. And in a Letter of Reversion granted by him in 1453 to Sir Robert Colville of Oxnam (W Douglas 1925), he speaks of “my manr place of Cessward”. In [October ]1467 a sasine is given at the gates of Cessford Castle, (Information from History Mss Comm. Roxburgh 17). The probability is, therefore, that the tower was built or rebuilt about the middle of the 15th century. [The above was taken from Castle Duncan Forum – Cessford Castle]. George and Alexander (Sandy), Douglas Squires In September 1427, George de Hoppryngile is at Jedburgh on an inquest of 15 that retoured William Douglas as heir to his father, Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig, in the barony of Hawick (A.P. pages 92/93). In January 1430 George performs a similar duty in the retour of Thomas of Fotheringham in the third part of the lands of Caverton (A.P. page 93). On 2 November 1433 Archibald, Duke of Touraine and Earl of Douglas, issues letters from Edilbredshiels (Auldwark) granting lands in Sprouston to the Carthusian convent of the Charterhouse, Perth to which the witnesses were the bishops of St Andrews, Brechin and Dunkeld, the abbot of Melrose, the earls of 2 www.clanpringle.com October 2009 Angus and Mar, James Douglas of Balveny, the sheriff of Teviotdale, Nicholas of Rutherford, George Pringill and Alexander (Sandy) Pringill, squires (A.P. page 93). In April 1456 the Earl of Angus issued letters acquitting Andrew Ker of Cessford of traitorous dealings with Englishmen; this being the verdict of a jury that sat at Selkirk and included George and Sandy Hoppringill (A.P. page 96). David of Pilmuir and Smailholm On 7th December 1457 at Jedburgh, George, Earl of Angus and Warden of the East and Middle Marches, made an indenture appointing Andrew Ker of Cessford his bailie of Jedburgh Forest during their mutual lives: in witness of which the earl set his seal to one part of the indenture while to the other part was set the seal of David Hoppringill of Pilmuir, because Andrew Ker did not have a seal of his own present (Douglas Book Charter 431). In 1471 at Borthwickshiels, David Pringil witnesses along with David Scott (Buccleuch) and William Scott the infeftment therein of Walter, son and heir of Andrew Ker of Cessford (A.P. pages 97/98). [David had a number of sons. James, his heir, who first made the records in 1464. William, in Cessford and first of Craigleith, first mentioned in April 1467. Alexander, first of Trinlyknowe, witnessed a notarial instrument in Edinburgh with William in May 1468. David, James and Adam of St John’s Chapel appeared together as witnesses in 1476]. James son and heir of David of Smailholm In 1466 James succeeded his father David as Ranger of the Tweed Ward. In 1484 at Jedburgh James Hoppringill is on a jury that retoured James Douglas as heir to the lands of Drumlanrig in the barony of Hawick (The Scotts of Buccleuch). Adam of that Ilk In 1474 King James III granted to Adam Pringill de Burnhouse, “familiaris armiger suus” (Household Guards), the lands of Caverton, Rox. forfeited by Robert, Lord Boyd (G.S.). [No other information is known about this gift from the King]. 3 www.clanpringle.com October 2009 William in Cessford, Whitton and 1st of Craigleith; second surviving son of David, Ranger of the Tweed Ward [NOTE: JBP later realised that David was not Williams’s father, Adam de Burnhouse was]. In April 1467 at Edinburgh, a charter was granted by King James III to his faithful Andrew Ker of Attonburn of the whole lands of Cessford, also the 20-merk land acquired from James Lord Hamilton; and in October following, infeftment on a precept of sasine was given at the gate of Cessford Castle in the presence of William Pringill, constable of Cessford Castle, and others (MSS., Rox.). In May 1468 at Edinburgh, in the house of Thomas Folkert, a notarial was taken that Henry Wardlaw of Torrey had received from George Twede in the name of Walter Ker, son and heir of Andrew Ker of Cessford, payment for the lands of Hounam; witnesses, Thomas Folkert, William Pringill, Alexander Pringle [very likely Alexander, first of Trinlyknowe] and others (MSS., Rox.). In 1476 William, Lord Somerville, challenged the finding of the jury that sat on his claim to the lands of Blakelaw, parish of Linton, and only five of them including William Hoppringill having appeared by their procurators, the Lords Auditors order the others to compear along with them on 3rd October following, under pain of rebellion (A.P. page 129). In 1478 William Hoppringill and Christian Sinclair are ordered to restore to Robert Allen 29 merks, the belt, the knife, the hat and the tippet (fur cape) taken from him; and for the contempcion done to the king by the said William in the striking and dinging of the said Robert, the said William ordered to enter his person in ward in the castle of Blackness, there to remain till freed by the king’s highness (A.L.C. 16). In 1484 John Rutherford, William Hoppringill and Ralph Ker act as bailies for Alexander Hume of Crailing and Hounam, nephew and heir of Alexander, Lord Hume, for infefting Andrew Ker of Cessford in the lands of Hounam; the Mains, Chatto, and another excepted (A.P. page 129). On 3rd June 1486 William’s (and Alexander his son) lease to Craigleith is renewed at the end of the existing lease made on 28 October 1483 (E.R. page 620). In 1486 William, Alexander and others sat on the assize that retoured John, 4th Lord Maxwell in the barony of Maxwell, Rox.